Buried Treasure May Exist Between Moab and Grand Junction

Prospector James White claimed there was a cave bearing amazing treasure somewhere on the Colorado River. Let's go on a treasure hunt.

It seems as though Mr. White went prospecting in the Grand Canyon around 1867 and barely escaped with his life, having been found by Mormon farmers delirious and lashed to a raft that was barely holding together. With large gaps in his memory, he tried to piece together what had happened to him, and how he ended up where he was.

Mr. White had decided to prospect in Colorado somewhere between modern day Moab, Utah and Grand Junction, Colorado. While prospecting, his party was raided by Indians; White and a single companion were the only ones to escape.

Not knowing the area, they used the river to escape by using leather harnesses to tie logs together into a makeshift raft. The two men floated off, but in the first set of rapids, White's companion, as well as all the supplies washed overboard and were lost.

Alone, with nothing to eat or drink, he floated through the canyon.

It was during this time that White, who had been mostly unconscious, came to and found himself aground. A few dozen feet away stood a cave and, wanting to escape the heat, he went inside and promptly fell asleep.

White was awoken by Indians bearing torches and when he looked around, saw amazing treasures there. Golden statues, idols of turquoise and gold, weapons of every shape and size with jewel encrusted hilts, and other jewels of varying type and size, including jade.

However, he could not remember where exactly this cave was. Only that it was along the shore of the river somewhere between Moab and Grand Junction.

Expecting to be killed for being there, he instead was fed pinion nuts and dried meat and sent on his way. Once his health returned he rebuffed all offers to return to the area to try and find the treasure.

Most historians do not believe White's account, and in fact, his story faded away until 1903, when prospectors told of being led to a cave by a Paiute who had allowed the prospector and his brother to visit the cave and take only as much gold as they could carry, which, when melted, amounted to about $15,000.

Since the men had been blindfolded, they did not know where the cave was located and was never able to find it again.

Most believe the cache is still there, waiting for modern day treasure hunters to find it.

You can read the full account of the Aztec's Lost Treasure here. Or, we can go try and find it ourselves.